Debt Pressure Allegedly Linked to Mother-Daughter Deaths

The deaths of a mother and her daughter within the space of five days in Dhaka’s Dohar upazila have triggered widespread public concern, with family members and local residents alleging that persistent pressure from an NGO over an unpaid loan contributed to the tragedy. Police have launched an investigation, while local authorities say appropriate action will be taken if evidence of wrongdoing is established.

According to family members and residents of Khalpar area in Dohar, Loveli Akter died on 24 June after reportedly suffering severe mental distress over an outstanding loan she had been unable to repay. Her mother, Rehana Begum, died on Monday night, just five days later, after allegedly experiencing similar stress following visits by representatives of the lending organisation.

Police have recovered both bodies and sent them for post-mortem examinations. Officials say the reports will help determine the exact causes of death before any legal action is considered.

Family sources said Loveli, the widow of the late Sheikh Shahid, had borrowed Tk 300,000 about a year ago from the Botia branch of an NGO identified as Rural Construction New Nation. According to relatives, she used the money to send her son to Saudi Arabia in the hope that overseas employment would improve the family’s financial situation.

However, they said the plan did not succeed as expected because her son was unable to send money home regularly, leaving Loveli struggling to repay the loan instalments. As the repayments fell into arrears, she allegedly came under increasing pressure from officials of the lending organisation.

Unable to keep up with the repayments, Loveli reportedly left her home and sought refuge at her mother’s residence in Nagerkanda. Her family claims that an official from the NGO later visited the house and demanded repayment of the outstanding loan. They further alleged that the official intimidated Loveli by saying that police could be brought in to arrest her if the debt remained unpaid.

Relatives said Loveli became seriously ill the same day following the encounter. She was taken to hospital later that evening, where doctors declared her dead.

The family alleges that the pressure did not end with Loveli’s death. They claim that within days, NGO representatives returned to the house and continued discussing the outstanding loan with her elderly mother, Rehana Begum.

Nurul Islam, Rehana’s son and Loveli’s brother, said his mother had no direct involvement with the loan and was unaware of its details. Despite that, he alleged, NGO officials behaved aggressively and threatened the family with police action.

According to Nurul, his mother became frightened during the visit. He claimed that while standing on the stairs of the house, she collapsed and later died after being taken to Dohar Upazila Health Complex.

“My mother and sister could not bear the pressure created over the loan,” he alleged, adding that the family is seeking justice for both deaths.

The incident has prompted anger among local residents, many of whom have questioned the methods allegedly used to recover overdue loans.

Abdur Rahim, a resident of Nagerkanda, described the deaths as deeply tragic. He said allegations that borrowers become seriously distressed due to aggressive loan recovery practices are not unheard of and urged the government to examine whether stricter oversight of microfinance institutions and NGOs is needed to protect vulnerable borrowers.

The lending organisation has rejected the allegations that it pressured Rehana Begum over the debt.

Anwar Jahid, manager of the Botia branch of Rural Construction New Nation, said Loveli had defaulted on the loan approximately six months ago and repeated attempts to recover the outstanding amount had been unsuccessful. He maintained that after Loveli’s death, representatives of the organisation visited her mother’s home solely to request a death certificate so the outstanding loan could be processed for waiver under the organisation’s policy.

“We did not put any pressure on her mother regarding repayment,” he said.

Meanwhile, Officer-in-Charge of Dohar Police Station Abubakar Siddiq confirmed that both bodies had been sent to Dhaka for post-mortem examinations. He said police would proceed with legal action after receiving the forensic reports and completing the investigation.

Dohar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Maidul Islam said the administration is prepared to investigate the matter if the affected family submits a written complaint. He added that appropriate action would be taken if any irregularities or misconduct by the NGO are established through the inquiry.

The incident has reignited concerns over the psychological impact that debt-related disputes can have on financially vulnerable families. While investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the two deaths, the post-mortem findings and any subsequent inquiry are expected to play a crucial role in determining whether the allegations against the lending organisation are substantiated.